A search warrant served Monday at a part-time youth pastor's home in Prague is connected to a computer crimes investigation that began months ago, with authorities now indicating the person under investigation previously worked at Gordon Cooper Technology Center, where he allegedly accessed juveniles' social media accounts.

Kim Morava

A search warrant served Monday at a part-time youth pastor's home in Prague is connected to a computer crimes investigation that began months ago, with authorities now indicating the person under investigation previously worked at Gordon Cooper Technology Center, where he allegedly accessed juveniles' social media accounts.

Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation agents, members of ICAC — the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force — and Prague police converged on the home at 1502 Barta Avenue in Prague Monday as part of the investigation, the OSBI reports, where they seized computers and other devices. No arrests were made and no charges have been filed, but the investigation is ongoing.

Tuesday, the OSBI released more information in the case, which originated Feb. 1 with a request by Shawnee police regarding computer crimes against a juvenile victim and possible victims yet to be identified.

"The subject of the investigation worked at the Gordon Cooper Technology Center in Shawnee and was accessing, without authorization, juveniles' internet social media accounts," the OSBI released in a statement Tuesday. "The subject was also soliciting inappropriate photographs or videos from juveniles."

As part of the probe, the OSBI says agents learned the subject was a part-time youth pastor at a Prague church, although the church hasn't been named by OSBI and they have not released the name of the youth pastor involved in this allegation. No charges have been requested of the district attorney’s office at this time.

As this investigation continues, Gordon Cooper Technology Center has and continues to cooperate with authorities, although the person at the center of Monday's search warrant is reportedly no longer employed at the school.

Gordon Cooper Technology Center released this statement Tuesday:

“In December 2017, Gordon Cooper Technology Center (GCTC) officials became aware of a data breach on our main campus in Shawnee based on information provided by a former student. Immediately GCTC conducted an internal review, suspended the employee in question and notified Shawnee Police Department of the data breach. Shortly after being suspended, the employee resigned. All district equipment and information surrounding the former employee were turned over to Shawnee Police Department,” the statement reads.

“As a result of the internal review, GCTC determined that the former information technology employee obtained information related to student and staff personal email accounts including passwords and user names in violation of district policy and procedures,” it continues. “At that time, current students, all school districts affiliated with GCTC, and all GCTC employees were notified of the data breach and advised to change user names and passwords as a precautionary measure.”

In conclusion, “Gordon Cooper Technology Center deeply regrets that a former staff member compromised the public trust and allegedly engaged in reprehensible conduct. The district will continue to fully cooperate with law enforcement and make any additional changes necessary within our organization to minimize the risk that something like this could ever happen again,” the statement reads.

OSBI Assistant Special Agent Adam Whitney said agents went to the Prague home in search of any images of child pornography, including nude images of children, but he said it will take some time for agents to search the items seized during the warrant.

“We're not sure how many victims,” may be involved, Whitney said about this case, but he said agents believe most are local to the area. “This is still an ongoing investigation.”

Anyone with information is asked to call the OSBI Tip Line, 1-800-522-8017.

Watch for updates.

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